Category Archives: Around Jaipur

Jaipur Book Lovers Is 100

 

 

 

Hashtag for the 100th meetup is    #JBL100

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It took them more than three years but Jaipur Book Lovers turns 100 on 2nd June 2019. And to let the world know about it they not only are going to make some noise about it but they are going to celebrate the occasion in style.

They have booked KRISHNAYAN from 5 pm  at the Jawahar Kala Kendra on JLN Marg, Jaipur on 2nd June 2019 for a gathering of 100 persons. Instead of a regular meetup they are going to hold a quiz  and other games having information related to books as theme. They are going to give away discount vouchers from a local book store as prizes. A member has generously agreed to donate a book shaped cake for the occasion. Others are donating their time and some are chipping in with money. This collection drive is a necessary as the participation in the JBL is completely free of cost.

JBL, as Jaipur Book Lovers Club is fondly known among members, is getting a limited edition coat pin cast in the shape of their logo. This pin is to be sold at cost to cost basis to the members on 2nd June.

JBL has die hard fans among all age groups. Here is what they have to say about JBL.

This is what Mr.Anurag Bhatnagar has to say about the club.

“Jaipur Book Lovers is a Book lovers dream. I had been searching in Universities Language Departments, with Bookstores and organisations like Crossword, JKK, elusive groups like the Pratibha Foundation. I even asked around at the JLF but was always disappointed.

It reminded me of

” My self when young frequented many saint; and heard great argument ; But evermore came out by the same door as in I went” as my Guru  Omar Khayyam would have said.

Then, I found myself at a JBL meetup about two years back . It has got my synapses , whatever are left, crackling, the serotonin flowing and the    neurons stirring again.

I love JBL for getting me fired up again, chastened  by the huge gaps in my reading over at least the last two decades and I love the passion of the members, young and old , specially the young have for reading books.

We have a lot to thank the older members for maintaining such class at JBL.”

Another member, Ankit Bohre,  who has moved out of town says, ” I miss coming to meetups, now Sundays are boring.”

‘जयपुर बुक्स लवर्स’- मुझे जयपुर में मिलने वाली सबसे अच्छी चीज़ों में से एक है, हालाँकि इस बात का हमेशा मलाल रहेगा कि बहुत देर से इस क्लब के बारे में पता चला ओर मैं ज़्यादा समय नहीं दे पाई। पुस्तकस्थ जो विद्या है उसे कैसे व्यवहारिक जीवन में उतारना है, अथवा किस पुस्तक में क्या सीख है यह observe करना मैंने इस क्लब से सीखा। पुस्तकों से प्यार तो मुझे बहुत है, पर समयाभाव से पढ़ नहीं पाती हूँ- पर इस क्लब के माध्यम से मुझे सतत पढ़ने की प्रेरणा मिलती है, और एक ही पुस्तक को कितनी प्रकार से पढ़ा जा सकता है- यह भी मैंने यहाँ जाना। हालाँकि मैं अधिक समय तक मीट-अप्स में शामिल नहीं हो पाई पर फिर भी इतने कम समय में जो सबसे सीखा- और नये शहर में जो आत्मीयता पाई, उसके लिये आभारी रहूँगी। यह क्ल ऐसे ही अनवरत रूप से चलता रहे, इसी भावना के साथ- विपाशा जैन

“I have been part of the JBL group since the last few months and already it has had a huge impact on me. I have been reading books since the last 7 years and was looking for a platform where I could share about what I have read and could also get info on other books and authors worth reading. The Book lovers group has proved to be that exact platform. Through it I have come to know about many different interesting books, reading them will surely improve my understanding of life and the world and also help me grow as a person.

The members of JBL come from different walks of life. Different cultural and social backgrounds. Different age groups and academic backgrounds.

This makes JBL a perfect group to have discussions.

I enjoy the experience of being the JBL meet up and later on also enjoy the memories of it.

It is my personal endeavour to bring the best of books to the group so all members can benefit from it.

I sincerely remain committed to Jaipur Book lovers group.

I take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the group for letting me be a part of their group and giving me a chance to express my views. With the 100th meetup of the group coming up, I congratulate the founders of the group for conceiving, creating,developing and nurturing such a noble community of book lovers I wish them all the best.”  – Prasanjeet

For Ms. Vandana Varma JBL is” a Plethora of intellectual opportunities”

 

 

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Books on Sports meetup  Group Photo

 

They have a member who reads more than 50 books a year and never misses a meetup and there is another who attends the meetup just for the masala Chai and the book talk. They have about 200 active members so the meetups are well attended affairs and the discussions are lively and in depth.

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Group photo after the meetup on Japanese writing

 

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Meetup on books JBL inspired you to read

Is your passion reading books? Join them! They are  your tribe! Follow them on Facebook, Instagram and twitter and attend their meetings on 2nd Sunday and 4th Sunday of the month from 11 am to 1 pm. at an appointed cafe in Jaipur.

 

Hashtag for the 100th meetup is                     #JBL100

 

 

For Them Book Is The Star

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Jaipur Book Lovers held their 99th meetup at Chaisa Cafe, Lal Kothi on, Sunday, 12th May 2019.

They were there to celebrate the Book. Because the topic for this meetup was “Books Are The Stars of JBL”. The members were free to talk about any all time favourite books of theirs.

Prasanjeet Singh talked about his all time favourite book Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi.

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Here is what he had to say about the book in his words,

“It is a story of a wooden puppet and his adventures and journey. The puppet does not listen to his father Gepetto and runs away from him and always ends up in trouble.He makes bad friends who try to cheat him. He once ends up in a far away land and also comes across a fairy. Later on he is captured by a magician who tries to use him for his magic shows. Eventually  he is united with his father after being swallowed by the big dog fish which is so big that  it can swallow a whole ship. The wooden puppet is creation of one Master Cherry. The book is very fascinating and it takes you on a surreal journey. I was personally in a very happy state of mind while reading it and cut off from the rest of the world. Written in 19 century in Italy by Carlo Collodi whose   real name was Carlo Lorenzini has used some very fascinating terms such as – Land of miracles, the inn of the red crawfish. The book is beautifully written and has a few unique words as well which will improve the readers’s vocabulary. It remains my favorite book. ”

 

Ms.Santana talked about the Lizard Cage by Karen Connelly, Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi and Nine Parts of Desire by Geraldine Brooks.

 

ruchirjblDr.Ruchir Sodani talked about these books. He is a big Asimov fan!

 

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Two new members

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The two Abhisheks

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The Group Photo!

 

Till we meet again to talk about some more books.

 

 

 

Life On The Banks Of The Chambal

This post is for the nature lovers amongst us.
These are  pictures of some of the life at the Bhadrawati Safari Lodge Savti Sawaimadhopur. If you want to spend some time comuning with nature on your holiday this is the place to be!

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Jungle Babler

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Whitethroat

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Oriental Magpie Robin

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Common Sitting Area At Bhadrawati Safari Lodge

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Chambal

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A fisherman working the Chambal at daybreak

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sunrise on the Chambal

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Mandana at the common area at the Bhadrawati Safari Lodge on the Chambal

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Pampas Grass- Sunset

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Swiss Cottages at the Bhadrawati Safari Lodge

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Pampas Grass

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Pampas Grass

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Rufous treepie

On the banks of the Chambal – An Album    

Bhadrawati Safari Lodge Sawaimadhopur

On The Banks Of the Chambal-An Album

Sawaimadhopur, world famous for its Tiger preserve, is about two and a half hours away from Jaipur by train. Its a busy route and there are a lot of trains plying between Jaipur and Sawaimadhopur.

35 kilometers or approximately one hour drive away from the Sawaimadhopur station is the Bhadrawati Safari Lodge. It is located right on the banks of the river Chambal. It has 12 luxurious  Swiss Cottages pitched in an Amla and Guavas garden. Chirping of local birds wake you up in the morning and the sound of the Chambal water flowing over the rapids  lullaby you to sleep at night.

 

These are some pictures from a recent visit to Bhadrawati Safari Lodge located on the banks of the Chambal river.

If you decide to visit the place come prepared to ditch your diets because the food prepared here is very tasty and is made from locally grown and procured organic vegetables etc. and the chef knows his job well. Be it  vegetables or Non-vegetarian dishes or desserts all dishes are cooked in the Lodge’s kitchen and make you anticipate the next meal with great expectation.

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False Dawn

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Dawn

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Sunrise

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A Couple of White Browed Wagtails

A couple of white browed wagtails searching for biscuit crumbs near the common sitting area without any fear of humans, made a guest from Mumbai  comment that even the birds are not normal here!

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A Boat on the Parvathi river

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Pulling the motorboat out of the make shift harbour in preparation for the Alligator/ Crocodile Run in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, Palighat, Ranthambhore, Sawaimadhopur.

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River Parvathi

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Raghu Raj Singh Rathore

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Alligators Sunbathing on the bank of Parvathi river

 

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Common Sitting Area

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Swimming Pool and the Swiss Cottage Area

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Dinning Area

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Owners Living Quarters

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Badminton Court

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Mustard crop near the Chambal

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A Swiss Cottage Sit out

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The Room

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Bathroom

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Bathing Area

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Swiss cottage area

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A Crocodile sunbathing on a rock in the Chambal

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Bonfire for the 31st Party

All set to welcome the new year in style at the Bhadrawati Safari Lodge, Sewti, Sawaimadhopur.

 

 

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Telescope for the star gazing enthusiast

Far from the city lights, the Sewti night sky is ideal for star gazing. So do not forget to bring your manuals! Bring your camera gear if you want to click the night sky.

 

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Sunset

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Watch the sun go down in style with a bonfire!

A home for the butterflies in Jaipur

Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley

In an ambitious project, JDA has developed a 3800 Sq. Mts.( buffer area is 5 acres)  valley in Simriti Ban on JLN Marg, Jaipur as a habitat for 46 species of commonly found butterflies. The area, some 100 mts below JLN Marg,  has been planted with 80 varieties of big and small host plants. The area has some 900 trees and treated waste  water is regularly sprayed on them to keep the moisture in the area high.They have developed waterfalls and ponds decorated with stones brought in from Nathdwara and Haridwar. So come February you need to visit the Butterfly Valley with your camera for a date with the fast vanishing delicate creatures.

 

Butterfly valley in Simriti Ban,JLN Marg,Jaipur

Butterfly valley in Simriti Ban,JLN Marg,Jaipur

A Visit To KCK Simriti Ban

(Click on Image to view in gallery)

It is always a pleasure to visit the Karpur Chandra Kulish Simriti Ban on the Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg,Jaipur,Rajasthan. The fascinating aspect is the green oasis in a world dominated by sand as Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan a desert state in India. It has water & trees & plants to attract the local birds and other insects & butterflies etc.  It has lot of secluded corners where benches are provided by the administration for the young and not so young couples visiting the park.

My only suggestion is that they should provide an hour each in the morning & evening for nature lovers who would like to photograph the birds and the flora & fauna as the park is very busy during the visiting hours for a serious study to be done. Furthermore boys being boys some of the boys are  intentionally disruptive to the peaceful atmosphere in the park.

A Walk At The Man Sagar Lake

( Click on the image to view in Gallery)

Whenever I get a chance, I take a morning walk along the Mansagar Lake, just like so many other Jaipur residents and tourists from outside Jaipur. It does not have any thing to do with getting exercise in the morning. It is just a fascination of  a resident of a desert state with a large body of water, greenery, sunrise & birds. I also took a few pictures which are enclosed herewith.

The dirt & general neglect were a pathetic site. This site is THE prime tourist spot of Jaipur. Any tourist visiting Jaipur visits here once at least.

Some stop gap arrangement should be made for the up keep of the site till the courts have their say.

How To Make A Simple Tomatoe Cheese Sandwich

Ingrediantes:

2 slices of your choice of fresh bread

 Some Butter

Salt & Pepper a pinch each

Some grated cheese

Sliced tomatoe

Method:

Apply butter to each slice of bread. (If the butter is frozen dice as much as you require show it a little heat & make it into a paste.)

Sprinkle grated cheese on one slice of buttered bread & sprinkle salt & pepper & cover with  sliced tomatoe & put the second bread on top.

Serve with Tomatoe sauce.

If you do not like tomatoe in your sandwich you can put sliced cucumber pieces or omit both the vegetables all together. All three versions taste delicious.

If you are making a lot of sandwiches wrap them in a damp cotton muslin cloth so that they do not become dry by the time you serve them.

Do you take a camera with you on your holiday?

A Lomo Camera La Sardina

A Lomo Camera La Sardina

Do you take a camera with you on your holiday?

This would seem like a no brainer question to most of us. Cameras are every where.The mobiles cameras get better & better. The digital cameras get cheaper & cheaper. Film cameras are quite cheap too. And who can resist the urge to own one? And what holiday is complete without pictures from the trip gracing your mantlepiece & your Facebook page. Of course you need to take a camera with you on your holiday. Only piece of obvious advice though is to enjoy the holiday first & record it later. Take in the whole picture & not just what you see thru the viewfinder.

What gear to take with you on a trip?

If you are not a professional photographer a simple point & shoot digital camera with spare memory cards, a USB drive, ready to use rechargeable battery, battery charger & flash light with its batteries will do. You will also need a waterproof bag which can be tied around the waist or which you can hang from your shoulder or neck. This way  you can keep your hands free while you operate the camera & keep all the photography stuff is in one place. If you are going abroad do not forget to take along a power adapter too for the battery charger.

If you are planing to take pics by a mobile phone then it would be a good idea to open an account with websites like FaceBook.com, Twitter.com & Flickr.com to share the pics as & when you click them. You will also need an internet account on your mobile phone. If you are a twitter fiend you already know you can attach pics to your status updates. You should also familiarize yourself with the FAQs of the website. You do want everything to work properly once you are on the holiday.

What pictures should you take?

As taking digital pictures is relatively cheaper give flight to your imagination. Click what ever looks interesting to you, including you!

Please make sure that you have the necessary permissions from the relevant authorities to take pictures & that you have paid the relevant fees by buying a ticket for the camera. Do not assume that it is OK to take pictures wherever you are. Make sure by asking.

When you get back home, copy the pictures to your computer hard drive make a back up on a DVD or a CD & have a holiday album/ holiday photo book made professionally by somebody like  snapfish.in & gift a copy to all who went with you on the trip. If you shared your pics from a mobile on facebook.com or filckr.com, snapfish.in can print these pics too.

A Gourmand’s Jaipur

When on a visit to a tourist destination eating is the last thing on our mind. We try to maximize the sight seeing, the shopping, the destinations… But if we were to slow down and taste the authentic delicacies the city  has to offer us it would be a more rewarding trip than if we just got a bite to eat on the run.

This is such a post. It will inform you about where to eat while you are on your way about the city of Jaipur.

For an emerging Metro, Jaipur still  does not have many options by the way of an establishment offering early breakfast. On the weekends the Mcdonald  on the M.I.Road opens early. On Sundays the sweet shop in Bagariya Bhawan Market offers great Sabzi-Poori from 8 am to 11 am. Rawat Mishtan Bhandar on station road opens early offering traditional snacks like pyaz ki kachori, Mirchi Baras & mawa Kachori & Desi Ghee Jalebis. On M.I. Road the Lassiwala opposite Natraj restaurant  & the Samosa-Kachori-Jalebi wala near the Narsingh Temple open shop early.

Amber Palace opens at 8 Am & the City Palace and the Jantar Mantar open at 9 Am. So it is a good idea to head for Amber Palace & Jaigarh Fort & Nahargarh Fort after breakfast. If you have brought your own car or are in a Taxi, on your way you can photograph the magnificient facade of Hawamahal bathed in early morning sunshine and click the Jal Mahal in Man Sagar Lake against the rising sun. For lunch you can eat at the Nahargarh Fort’s Durg  Cafetaria or  return to Jaipur and & eat at the LMB or the Palace Cafe in the City Palace. After lunch you can visit the Hawamahal Palace from the inside, Jantar Mantar, City Palace & climb the Isar Lat. All these monuments are nearby. While at the City Palace you can also visit the Govind Dev ji Temple where the darshan are according to Jhanki Times which change as per summer or winter. The deity here is offered Chowgani ke Laddu as prasad. As it is sold during Jhanki times you ought to buy some because it is a delicacy. Also a point to note is, if you plan to offer prasad at the Temple you out to get some  with you from outside.

By the time you finish sightseeing at the City Palace Complex you will be ready to head to the hotel for evening tea. Or you can have a cup of tea at SAHU’s at shop no. 365 in Chaura Rasta. It has been in business for about 45 years, now.

After you freshen up at the hotel, what next?

These are some of the  options for you- You can go pubbing or Clubing ( if you can get a member of a Club to invite you for drinks & dinner) or you can go back to Amber for the light & sound Show or you can go for a typical Rajasthani dinner with folk dances at the ethnic village named Choki Dhani on Tonk Road.

On the next day when you visit the Albert Hall museum & the Zoo in the Ramniwas Garden you can visit the Goodearth Shop for Organic food stuffs.

On your way back from the visit to the Vidhyadhar ka Bagh, Sisodia Garden & Galta ji stop off  at the Pink Square Mall for a quick bite to eat at their food court or head to the Bakewell or Chawala or Hanuman Dhaba or Nand Paani Patasi walla or Mahaveer Rabri Bhandar or Falahar ( for those who are fasting) at Raja Park.

If you decide to visit the Science Park ( there are life size Dinosaur statues)  in Shastri Nagar you can stop at the Nathu Sweets for a quick snack.

The Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg (JLN Marg) has a lot to offer a person visiting Jaipur. On this road you will find the Simriti Ban, for the nature lover or a birding enthusiast , Jaldhara- a picnic spot, Musical Fountain & the Rose Garden at The Jawahar Circle, Gaurav Towers for the shopaholics, The Peacock Garden, Jawahar Kala Kendra for the culturally inclined. There is the 24 hrs  SARAS booth at the RCDF office. Gaurav Tower has a brilliant Food Court besides the Mcdonalds. Jawahar circle has a nice Chat Bazaar.

If birding is your forte then you ought to visit the Central Park for a walk in the morning or early evening & have coffee at the Coffee shop on statue circle. Central Park is also home to a French Sculpture and the Tallest Flag in Jaipur.

For Non-Veg food best bet is Niros, Spice Court on Jacob Road & Talk of the Town on M.I. Road.

You ought to visit Natraj for Choorma Dal Baati & Rajasthani Thali.

Four seasons & the Olive in The C-Scheme & Kanha chain  for veg Multi Cuisine food.

Sankalp on Subhash Marg Off M.I.Road for veg South Indian food.

Ice Spice on Ashok Marg for veg Punjabi Food & Annapurna behind Raj mandir

for Gugrati Thali. Golden Dragon & Yo China for chinese food.

Lasun Ki Chutney

Lasun Ki Chutney

LMB has achaars  & bottled chutney &  stuff like Mangori you can take back home with you if you are partial to it besides sweets like  ghewar & pheeni.

Vijay store on Choti Chaupad has great roasted snacks. Jal mahal Ice Cream Parlour for Ice Cream Desserts. Hot Breads & Bake hut for Bakery items & snacks. Cafe Coffee Day for Coffee. Tapri for Tea.

According to Napoleon, an army marches on its stomach & in my opinion so should a tourist. A  delhi belly not withstanding.